Receive the latest movies updates in your inbox

Historical dramas "Lincoln" and "Les Miserables" and modern dramedy "Silver Linings Playbook" lead the Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations with four each.

The list of films in contention for the awards were announced early Wednesday morning in Los Angeles. Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," the film adaptation of the Victor Hugo stage musical "Les Miserables" and "Silver Linings Playbook" were all nominated for best ensemble cast along with the Ben Affleck-directed Iran-hostage thriller "Argo" and ex-pat British comedy "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel."

Celebrity Baby Boom

Historical dramas also held sway when it came to primetime television nods for outstanding performance by an ensemble in a drama series with the prohibition-era set "Boardwalk Empire" facing off against the stiff upper lip of PBS darling "Downton Abbey" and "Mad Men." "Homeland" and "Breaking Bad" round out the category.

The list lands just a day prior to the announcement of the nominations for the Golden Globes, and ramps up anticipation for a busy awards season that culminates with the Academy Awards in February.